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Homemade Apple Pie Filling Recipe {with free printable labels}
I love canning! When I see all the jars lined up I feel so productive. A few years back I made homemade apple pie filling in a jar and it was a huge hit. I had to make it again and am sharing these cute canning labels for your homemade apple pie filling recipe! If you too like to can you must try my Harry and David Onion Pepper Relish knock-off recipe…..so yummy. Jam is also another fun item to make and I have printable strawberry jam labels. Can you believe you can even make strawberry jam with only three ingredients? It is not quite as sweet but doesn’t have all that added sugar. 
How to make canned apple pie filling
It really isn’t hard to make this homemade apple pie filling recipe. Pick some apples and you are ready to get started. 
I love this apple peeler. It only peels the apple which is important. Other models will peel, slice and core. However, for this recipe since the canning process is 25 mins, apple slices that are too thin turn mushy. 
Peel and core all the apples. I then slice each apple into about eight pieces. 
How to keep apples from browning
A great trick for keeping the apples from browning is to place them in a bowl of cold water along with three to five vitamin C tablets ( 500mg) that have been crushed. This is really an important step because the apples do brown quickly and it takes time to peel all the apples. 
Homemade Apple Pie Filling Recipe
Enjoy delicious apple pies all year long by canning apples in a delicious sauce! It isn't hard at all!
Ingredients
- 6 quarts sliced fresh apples firm crisp apples are best(about 30 apples, if apples are small do a few extra)
- 5 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups Clear Jel
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- a couple pinches of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 5 cups apple juice no sugar added
- 3/4 cup bottled lemon juice
- 6 - 1 quart canning jars regular mouth
Instructions
Combine sugar, Clear Jel, cinnamon, nutmeg, water, salt and apple juice in a large pot. Stir and cook on medium-high heat until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Add drained apple slices to the sauce.
Fill jars with mixture, leaving 1 -inch headspace. I packed the jars with the apples and then divided sauce among the jars.
Wipe jar rims clean, tighten lids and process immediately. Place jars in pot of water with water 1 inch above top of jar lids and boil for 25 minutes (For 0-1,000 ft altitude). Carefully remove from water and let jars cool 12 to 24 hours. Lids should be indented if properly sealed.
Recipe Notes
Clear Jel is a stable and safe thickener for canning. It won’t turn cloudy like sometimes cornstarch does.
Clear Jel is not Sure-Jell. Sure-Jell is a natural fruit pectin used in making jams and jellies that allows you to use approximately one-quarter less sugar than normal, while still producing a jam that will set.
Fill jars with mixture, leaving 1 -inch head space. I packed the jars with the apples and then divided sauce among the jars. 
Wipe jar rims clean, tighten lids and process immediately. Place jars in a pot of water with water 1 inch above the top of jar lids and boil for 25 minutes (For 0-1,000 ft altitude). Carefully remove from water and let jars cool 12 to 24 hours. Lids should be indented if properly sealed.
Printable canning labels
Download the file and print in color on a solid sheet of sticker paper. I email the file to my local copy shop and ask them to print in color on 1 Up label paper. Printable apple pie filling labels Cut out sticker and place on your homemade apple pie filling. What a delicious and useful homemade gift!
{Printable homemade apple pie filling labels}
The canned pie filling apples are a little soft for pie, but they make the most delicious Apple Crisp. They also work great for a rustic apple pie. Try Ina Garten’s Apple Crostata Recipe.
Apple Crisp Recipe
Mix together:
3/4 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup butter (use a 1/2 cup to make it over the top)
Pour pie filling into a 9 X 13 pan (or smaller for thicker crisp). Spread topping on top of apples. Bake at 375 degrees for about 35 minutes until bubbly.
Serve warm with ice cream. Yum!
Rhonda, The way I love to use it best is to make a fruit crisp. Just make this apple crisp topping and put ontop the jar of apples and bake. YUM! You can also pour the filling into a prebaked pie shell. Add the crisp topping for an apple crumb pie. Normally for an apple pie, you do not bake the crust first. However, these apples have been processed for 25 minutes in the canning process, so they are already cooked and need a shorter baking time when being used. For a pie, I would put into the pre-baked shell and top with the apple crisp topping and bake for 20 mins at 350. The homemade filling is also good in bar cookies, cinnamon rolls, coffee cake..... anytime apple pie filling is suggested use this homemade filling.
I certainly don't want to waste all these big beautiful apples I have, so I would appreciate the confirmation! Thanks!! :)
Thank you, Debra
thank you,
Denise
Can't wait to make them
Thanks
Thanks!
Can't wait to try this.
Kay
Thanks again for sharing :)
How many jars did the recipe make?